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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



UNITED STATES OP AMERICA. 



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POEMS 



BY 



WILLIAM FREDERICK PARKER. 



If music and sweet poetry agree, 

As they must needs, — the sister and the brother, 
Then must the love be great 'twixt thee and me. 

Because thou lov'st the one, and I the other. 

— Shakespeare. 



GLOBE PRINTING COMPANY. 
1880. 



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Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1880, by 

WILLIAM FREDERICK PARKER, 

In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



E ROS. 

" Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods 
drown it : if a man would give all the substance of his house for 
love, it would utterly be contemned." 

— Solofnon. 



EROS. 



Gaze upon the canopy 
Above thy head some peaceful night ! 
Her charms around eternal Wisdom 

Love in fervor wound, 

Creating in delight 
The glory there ! 

Stains with stars in boundless space 
Are whirling, 

Worlds and burning suns ! 

Love instils in them 

Its everlasting power ! 
Love controls their various movements. 
Methodizing spiral sinuations 
Of attendant and reliant moons ; 
Guiding planets in their orbits ; 
Keeping in continual motion 

All the heavenly spheres ! 
The lights of incandescent stars 
Are smiles 

That cheer the universes. 



EROS 



The gorgeous sun, 
Resplendent in effulgence 
And exuberant magnificence. 
Revolving in ethereal space 

Among its grand compeers. 
Was fashioned countless ages since, 

And novv^ is guided. 

By immortal love. 

Love and vs^isdom 
Are the twins of Paradise. 

The perfect union 
In celestial eminence. 

O it is thine, imperial Love, 
Divine in birth and reared in Heaven. 
Every worthy heart to rule 
And every lustrous star ! 

Souls of deep endurance meet 

With sweet afiinity 
Li souls of wondrous purity, 
And in their admiration soar 

Above the stars. 

Man and woman bound in love, 
Spurning tinsels 
Of the trivial world. 
Uniting love and wisdom, 



EROS 



Spirits are from spheres unseen, 
Superior to harmonious stars ! 



There was a being born amid 

The everlasting reHcs 

Of forgotten empires, 

Whose mysterious genius 
Fascinated mighty monarchs, 
And whose intellectual splendor 

Reared a dazzling glory 
In the world. 

O saw ye that majestic youth, 
Supreme in beauty? 

Angels of another world 

Descend as mortals oft 

To grace the evil earth ! 
His marvellous head was worthy temple 

Of his superhuman mind ; 
Divinity 

Beamed in his countenance ; 

His smile possessed a charm 

As irresistible as love ; 

He knew his god-like grandeur ; 

Timid deer fled not away 

When, musing in the floral wood, 

He swept the tender strings 

Of his bewitching lyre ! 



EROS 



Did ye behold him as he wandered on ? 
Did ye behold 
The beauty of his eyes ? 
Yon marble palace, 
Perfect in design, 
Surpassing those of every land and age, 
Save Greece and Rome 
And their unrivalled masterpieces. 
He, in stately manner, entered. 

On blended hues 
Of w^ondrous neoramas, 
Whose deceptive lineaments 

And fine perspectives 

Made infinitude 
Within that burnished palace ; 

On the mellow tints 

Of labored works of Painting, 

That divinest art ; 

And on the snowy forms 
Of Sculpture, 

He in admiration gazed. 

He stood entranced ; 
He felt alliance with the beauty there, 

And his exalted mind 
Discovered newer beauties in itself. 

He uttered in a passive mood 
The prompting of his immortality, 



EROS. 



The secret of his being : 
" Pansophy." 

And the music of his voice, 
Subdued and modulated, 

Gave a beauty to that classic word. 

His tones euphonious and impressive 
Mingled in the melic zephyrs 
Driven through eolian harps 
Within the portals of the palace. 

Onward dreaming, and impassioned 
In his oratory, 
Ever blissful 
From the grand creations 
Of his wondrous mind. 
Through floral and luxuriant woodlands. 
Sweet with Nature's fragrant breath, 
He wandered. 

Paradise and Houries, 
Whose large eyes 

Sent rapture into his. 
And love in forms unnumbered, 

Were before him there. 

What forms of classic beauty moved 

Along those sinuous paths. 

Amid the countless hues 

Of aromatic flowers ? 
Beauteous women with their satellites 

And splendid retinues ! 



lO EROS. 



The youth beheld them intheir gemmed attires, 

And knew himself a peer 
In that august assemblage. 

Reclining near yon marble fane, 

Beside meandering brook, 
On richest robe of oriental clime, 
Beheld ye that enchanting maid ? 
Perfection her fine form created. 

Mirroring there itself. 
The delicate elixir of the earth 
Instilled in her its charms, 
And Heaven's self . 
On her in condescension gaze J. 
The lawless elements 
Fled far away ; 
They could not harm 
The paragon of Earth. 

The youth beheld the maiden there. 
And quickly throbbed his fervent heart. 

He knew^ that he must love. 
Such knowledge comes upon the soul 
As a command from some imperial court. 

He knew that he must love. 

He could not disobey ; 

He looked upon the maiden. 
And the dream of all his glory fled. 
He sighed and trembled as he gazed. 
Beyond control his tremor grew. 



EROS. II 



The magnetism of her beauty 
Overcame his ^vill. 

His intuition, 
Wondrous in the clearness of its truth, 

Perceived the new desires 

Of her ardent soul. 

His intellectual splendor, 
Mingling Avith the fine afflatus 

Of his magic genius, 
Ruling every earthly instinct then 

Of his impetuous nature, 

Glowing in his eyne. 
Disseminating through remotest nerves. 
And every sensitive and tiny fibre, 

Thrilled his classic form. 

His burning love 
Revealed itself in his melodious voice, 

Attuning to its sorro^sv 
The pathos of these sentiments : 
" O heart ! most wayward boon of man, 
Foe to thine own deluded self; 
But ever in superior souls 

Alluring friend 
To mystic phantasies that play 
Around thy trustful love 

In cruel guile. 
Thou shalt not now depart 

From my control ! 



12 EROS 



" O love and wisdom 
And essential memory, 
Immortal trinity, 
Ye cannot perish when ye vanish 
From the earth ! 
Combine within me now 
And vanquish these emotions, 
Leave me monarch of my soul ! " 

A gentle being roving near. 

Gazelle in grace. 

In beauty Venus, 
Whispered in most winning tones 

And, disappearing, 

Left this admonition : 

"Leer not at the maiden ! 
Ruthless love. 

The ecstasy of sorrow, 
Sleeps Within her guileless soul. 
Seek thou the man within thee. 

Guard this maiden 
From the glory of thy genius. 
Oh ! if she beholds thee now, 

Within her dreams 
Thy beauty will forever glow. 
And, tremulously, love 
Will steal away her reason. 
Fly ! depart, 



EROS. 13 



Endearing youth, 
Apollo, if thou art, 
Or his more modern rival, 
Bold and grand enchanter." 

Then over that proud youth 
There came a change. 
His soul, so passionate and vs^ild, 
Burst from him in impatient vs^ords : 

" Now am I conquered by this warning ! 

Love has won my manhood ; 
Never more shall I be free ; 
I tremble as I gaze upon the maiden. 

Oh ! hadst thou not revealed me this ! 

Or told me of my power ! 
Now and ever 

I shall dream of her !" 

Ah ! then enamoured zephyrs 
Wrapt around the beauteous form 

Of that reposing maid 

The oriental veil, 
Diaphanous and snowy white, 

Bound by a golden zone ; 
And soothing perfumes and aroma 
From rich spices and sweet flowers came, 
Breathing delight 

In her dilated nostrils ; 
And celestial rapture beamed 



14 EROS 



In her most orient eyne. 

She spied that wondering youth ; 
Her clear perception read his thought ; 

In ardor she arose ; 
The motion of her graceful limbs 
Entraced his soul. 

He knew that he was conquered. 
Never more would he forget 

The beauty then before him. 
Visions of ambition 
Faded in the dazzling light of love. 
The flute-like tones of his sweet voice 

Expressed his agony : 
" The man I was I am no more ! 
O ! thou hast conquered, — I am thine ! " 

Then fainter grew the lustrous light 

That dwelt within his eyne. 
He smiled, remembering his past, 
And his devotion 
To the grand designs 
Of his peculiar nature ; 
He smiled, and sorrov^ beautified 
The marvellous beauty 
Of his marble countenance. 

In "wild impatience then 
His noble head he tossed ; 



EROS. 15 



But vanquishment was in his mien. 
His voice, musical and clear, 

Spurned his command. 
The maiden heard its faint reluctant tones. 

They won her willing soul 
Forevermore : 

" Unrivalled and celestial being, 
Envy of the Universe, 
Thou paragon ! 
O ! why art thou so beautiful ? 
Thine is a face elysian ! 
O ! as I gaze, I love thee, 
Loving, leave the earth below 
And fly enraptured heaven- ward 
With thee ! " 

Then from invisible retreats 

Within the woodlands 

Came a gentle voice, 
As from a soul in Paradise : 

" The loftiest love, 
Supreme in its simplicity, 
To man from woman flowing. 
Noblest worth creates in each 
And highest happiness instils in both." 

His reason fled 
Before the rising sun 



l6 EROS 



Of passionate and rosy love. 

The maiden sa^v in him 
The image of Omnipotence. 
Their overpowered spirits met ! 
What is this music in the soul.^ 

The spi -it's immortality ! 
It thrilled their forms and their full hearts 

Arose in dazzling splendor 
Far above 

All thoughts of earth. 
Ah ! even to the tuneful stars 

Their spirits fled ! 
So they were lulled in an embrace, 
Pure as the flowers breathing fragrance near, 

Filled with that grandest love 

That dwells in Paradise ! 

He kissed the gentle cheek 
Of that bewitching maid ; 
He gazed upon her loveliness. 
The cruel spell of love • 
Was coiled around his soul ; 
His inspiration sought 
The melody of words : 

" What art thou that I love thee so.? 
I conquered all this folly once. 
And curbed this passion in my soul. 
Commanding it to hide itself, 



EROS. 17 



That, humble in my pride, 
I might achieve 

The grandeur of a name ! 

O ! vanity of hope ! 

O ! everlasting grief! 
The noblest souls are often poor 

In wordly wealth ; 

But in high thoughts 
They wander with the haughty stars ! 

" O ! whither may I fly with thee ? 
Earth smiles at my impassioned tone ! 

Here love is bound 
In endless turmoil and despair 
To mundane elements 
Repulsive in complexity ! 
What boon on thee can I bestow ? 
My heart? 
Thou hast it now, 
And may celestial spirits 
Guard thy soul ; 
And may the God that made the stars 
Forgive my unintentional sin ! 

" From this temptation I must fly ! 

From thy allurements fly ! 
O ! be thou happy as thou art, 
Or love one who may give thee wealth 

And keep thee in thy sphere ! 



l8 EROS. 



" Forever from thy sight I pass ! 
Forgive me if thou canst ! 

! my poor heart, 
Why hast thou now forsaken me ? 

1 faint, — 

I lose the power of my will ! 

God ! protect this maiden ! 
Have I brought a curse on her ? 

Farewell ! 

1 fly from thee away, — 

Away from thee ! " 

And many, many times, 
Mysterious Echo 
His last agony repeated there : 

' ' Away from thee ! " 

An icy tremor shook his form ; 

He struggled with emotion. 
Light, 
A glaring beam of self-control. 

Shone in his moistened eyes. 
A moment then he lingered there. 
Impassive as the marble god, 
Apollo, 

Proud and grand. 
The concentration of his soul, 

A superhuman glow. 

Gleamed in his moveless eyes ; 



EROS. 



19 



And then away like deer uncaged, 
Away he fled. 

Fair as an angel. 
Glorious as a star, 
Stood that bewildered maid. 
Her love clung to that youth : 
But, like electric current, flashed 
Through all her mobile senses 
The meaning of his anguish. 

As a dying queen 
Of Nature's grandest realm, 
Down on a mossy bed 
Of lilies, daisies, jessamines. 
And interwoven darnels. 

All alone she sank 
And saw that wondrous youth, 

No more ! 

Thus, love will conquer when the heart, 

Robed in its own determined plans. 

Yields not at first. Its tender touch 

Is fatal to the iron man 

Of gory war. It conquers all ! 

The universes roll through space, 

Ruled by an everlasting love ! 

A curse on odds that stand between 

Two loving souls ! Let Hell take him 

Whose lechery corrupts a maid ! 



HOMOTH. 



"Alas for Virtue ! when 
Torments, or contumely, or the sneers 

Of erring-judging men, 
Can break the heart where it abides." 

— Shelley, 



HOMOTH. 



Memme. 

Why in my garden, Sir, do you 

Seek me ? Your name I know full well. 
Acquaintance do not claim ; for few 

Disbelieve of you what many tell. 

HoMOTH. 

To thee, madame, of whom I hear 

From many in the land around 
Sweet things, I, suppliant, appear 
For one that to thyself is bound. 
Me, as a man. to few men dear. 
And wrongly spoken of, has she. 
In her simplicity, to thee 
Now sent. May I more open be ? 

Memme. 

Didst thou for thine own self seek nie 
Audacious I might deem thee near ; 

Yet in thy face I do not see 

The counterpart of things I hear. 



^4 H O M O T H . 



HOMOTH. 



Forget the man of evil name 

Addressing thee ; but let him speak 
Of others who are not the same. 

Though I, sweet lady, may be weak, 
My soul is generous and true. 

Wilt thou to my short tale attend ? 
By such acts we from evil grew ; 

By good deeds life will never end. 

Thy cousin-german of the east 

With merry friends to yon fair wood 
Came yester-eve to play and feast 

And gathered all the neighborhood. 
Though I upon the hill-side live, 

That overlooks the woodland fair 
In which they met, I did not give 

Myself the joy to wander there. 
Thy cousin-german and her maid 

Came plucking flowers near my door 
And, seeing me as now arrayed. 

With smiles acquaintance did implore. 

! certes, I was pleased to speak 
With two such maids of winning grace 

Who, wise men oft have said, are weak. 
Though I think might lives in each face. 

A merry time we had. Full well 
Thy cousin knows the pleasing art. 

1 almost wept to hear her tell 



HOMOTH. 25 



How thou from her wast held apart. 
A story then of thee she told, 

And wept that thou should st angry be, 
Asserting it seemed over bold 

To ask so soon good act of me. 

Memme. 

I marvel much how one, whose deeds 

Of infamy the world derides, 
The sorrow of a woman heeds 

Who, stranger, comes where he abides. 
Perchance her beauty won your eye. 

To gain her heart for evil end, 
Dissembling, you to me apply 

In her behalf, appearing friend. 

HOMOTH. 

Deem me most evil man below, 

Ignore me, lady, if you will ! 
I have more weal than silly woe. 

And live in heaven on yon hill. 
I could not wish your cousin wrong. 

Nor do to others save the right ; 
Thus life with me flows like a song 

And every thing with truth is bright. 

Alas ! sweet lady, few above 

The desolating changes here 
Arise to spheres of boundless love 



26 H O M O T H . 



Where neither malice, hate, nor fear 
Nor scorn of men, nor injuries 
Can rob the heart of histing ease. 

A maiden in my presence, sight. 

And memory is, as thou art, 
A sacred thing, whose purer Hght 

Divinely penetrates my heart. 
Thus, if I fold in wild embrace 

Her form, all languishing in love. 
And meet her soul in her sweet face. 

And fly in spirit fiir above 
Where those strange dreams within us live, 

Grea': laws, superior to my soul. 
Their mandates to my being give 

That hold me in their sweet control, 
Compelling me to give fair kiss 

As my own small acknowledgment 
Of her great charms. In such quick bliss 

A touch of higher love is lent 
By transcendental love to man 
That tells him he in love began ! 

Memme. 
Thou speakest like a foe of wrong ; 

And beauty, goodness, wisdom seem 
Linked in thee, and thou movest along 

Like one delighted with pure dream ; 
And love appears to govern thee ; 

But hisses from most subtle tongue 



HOMOTH. 27 



Have wandered willingly to nie 

And in my soul thy leal worth stung. 

HoMOTH. 

Forget me, lady ; but for her, 

Who spake to me, hear all I say ! 

If you to her once dearer were 
Than now, before us all display 

The beauty of your worth w^ithin 

That is not schooled in idle sin. 

Memme. 
In our late trouble it may be 

I was in wrong ; for even I, 
Though aiming at simplicity. 

Fail often ; still I aim most high. 
My cousin often would appear 

Quite strange, and I would think at night 
And, dreaming, roll in doubt and fear. 

Until I thought her mind took flight, 
And thus aiose in her despair 

That turned on me its fell design ; 
Yet reason still lurked in her air 

And puzzled, by its changes, mine. 

HOMOTH 

Deem not each nature, strange to thee. 
Without the pale of consciousness, 

A victim of insanity, 

Forever w^rithing in distress ! 



28 HOMOTH 



The world, with laws of life and change, 
Makes many seem to many strange ; 
But there are causes for each thing 

And there are minds to fathom all. 
And smallest hopes to which we cling 

When oft about below to fall. 

Memme. 

Mv will is oft beyond control 

And forces me wrong things to say 

That ill become my inner soul ; 
And selfishness in its own way 

Is often visible in me ; 

But my real self is fond and free. 

HOMOTH. 

Unhappiness will ever cling 

Around the soul of selfish ease, 
Until it doth its own self sting, 

And its own evil then it sees. 
Thus higher to a nobler sphere. 

Impelled by knowing it was wrong, 
It will ascend, soon to appear 

Harmonious in that beauteous throng 
That wander ever pure and free 
In realms that only angels see. 

Memme. 
But, Sire, -the world (and I address 
Thee so ; for thou hast that command 



HOMOTH. 29 



In thy appearance, I confess 

Which is in few throughout the land,) 

HoMOTH. 

Repeat not, lady, what the w^orld 

Has said in evil w^ill of me. 
Around myself is pureness furled 
As beauty is surrounding thee. 

A Titan does not heed the wrong 

That envy, malice, hatred bring. 
He glories in the mighty song 

Of strength which he to self can sing. 
Thus, with his power he may rule 

The world below him when he will. 
Beneath hot wrong he can keep cool ; 

His worth no fiend of earth can kill. 

Memme. 

What ! then in life art thou so pure? 

Canst thou recall no wilful wrong 
From out the dead past to allure 

Thee back where evil doth belong? 

HOMOTH. 

Was not I born on earth of earth 

With something inward not mine own 

That led me from an evil birth 
To stand in pureness now alone ? 



30 H O M O T H . 

From fault and wrong I did asencd, 

Myself within myself subduing ; 
While truth without its force did lend 

By inner worth renewing ! 

Memme. 
Forgiveness makes the soul divine ! 

I to my cousin now am bound 
Forever by this act of thine ; 

She me has gained ; I thee have found. 

But tell me ! what may be this force 
That makes superior what you say ? 

If knowledge, I within thy course 
Am led ; still I would homage pay 

To something higher in thy mind 

That in mine own I do not find, 

A Voice. 
His loves are Grandeur, Beauty, Purity, 
His Law is God ! His boundless heart is free. 
And universal love is his delight. 
His thought is linked with hearing, touch and sight. 
Nor title, wealth, nor glance of crafty maid 
Can change his life, or make his lustre fade. 
Eternal are the objects of his thought ; 
Around himself their charms are ever wrought ! 

Memme. 
Then what I seek I find in thee ! 
What to thy wisdom is my heart .f* 



HOMOTH. 



My all would I resign to be 

Thy help-meet ! Must thou then depart? 
O ! let me on thy last smile die, 
Or to thy gentle bosom fly ! 

HOMOTH. 

Forever here then shalt thou live ! 
Thus, to thy love my all I give ! 

A Voice. 

O ! thou art married to thyself, 

Superior man ; for love divine 
With wisdom, that ethereal pelf. 

Dost thou within thyself combine ; 
But laws and powers high above 
Command thee to this woman love ! 

Memme. 

O ! I am changed ! No more shall I 

Obey the dictates of my will ; 
But with thyself and wisdom fly 

To yon pure mountain from this hill ! 

HOMOTH. 

The brilliant whiteness of thy soul 
A dazzling radiance sends in me ; 

And with the stars our spirits roll 
Unto as grand a destiny. 



32 MOMOTH . 

Forever we true joy shall know, 
To higher love each moment grow ! 

A Voice. 

Now they are one and one will be 
In realms of bliss through eternity ! 

L' ENVOI. 

A Pariah may thus arise, 
Alike a meteor in the skies ! 
The slander vjus men of evil earth 
Will then reveal a viler birth ; 
For he who deigns to nobly shine 
Is governed by a law divine. 
A thousand eyes he can reveal 
Where villains deepest plans conceal. 
Corrupted beings here and there 
Will smile at first ; but soon despair. 
Behold him then or when at last 
His glorious light below is cast 
Few mortal eyes will dare behold ! 
A Godly man is wondrous bold ! 



EIDOLON. 



"How sweet it were, hearing the downward stream, 
With half-shut eyes ever to seem 
Falling asleep in a half-dream !" 

— Tennyson. 



EIDOLON 



The soul within 

Is not all sin 
Though wrapt in elements of wrong, 

And dreams reveal 

Celestial weal 
That does not to the world belong. 

What painful stings 

Experience brings 
That gentle beings cruel deem ! 

So far away 

Their spirits stray 
To find some solance in a dream. 



The changes wrought 

In objects sought 
When once by us they are possessed 

Will oft create 

A nameless hate 
That all wise spirits have confessed. 



38 EIDOLON. 



Each one may meet 

In odd retreat 
At times some soul aloof from man, 

With nature wise, 

With radiant eyes, 
Whose life in other place began. 



But what are these 

Each mortal sees 
Pass on in woebegone array? 

What do they here ? 

What can they fear. 
Bewailing on their rugged way ? 

Behold this throng 

With joyous song 
That dances in the moon-lit hour ! 

It is not sad ; 

Yet is it mad, 
Enchanted by some curious power? 



We can not tell 

Where laws may dwell 
Invisible, or when that might 

That governs all 

In wrath may fall 
And turn our brightest day to night. 



EIDOLON. 39 



Odd creatures here 

Do oft appear 
Whose inward worth no one may see, 

And idle folk 

That worth provoke, 
Conjecturing what its aim may be. 

One such I met 

Near rivulet 
Beside grand rocks with trees o'er head. 

I guessed the theme 

Of his day-dream 
And, moving nearer, to him said : 

' ' Thou art as one 

Who loves the sun, 
The gaudy lacings in the wood, 

And things unseen 

Save in thy dream. 
Thou art as one not understood. 

"Why not leave dell. 

And with me dwell 
In marble home by river-side ? 

Sweet maidens there 

Dispel despair 
And in calm luxury abide !" 



40 EIDOLON. 



This answer came, 

And made deep shame 
Within my soul within that wood ; 

And I felt he 

Might ever be 
A musing soul misunderstood : 

" The older I grow 
And the more I know 

Alas ! the less I wish to say. 
I often feel 
That joy and weal 

That in all idle silence play. 



" When I'm with man 

I seldom can 
M)^ limpid thoughts in words express ; 

Though sense is there, 

I do not dare 
My burning passion to confess. 



"A maid I oft 

With mind aloft 
In these lone wood-lands here espy. 

No spell-bound word 

Is ever heard ; 
Our souls speak through the glowing eye. 



fe I D O I. O N . 41 



" My arm is bound 

Her waist around, 
A ruby kiss interprets thought. 

Such joy as this 

Transcends the bliss 
That in your grand salon is sought. 

" She cannot die ! 

Her beauties fly 
In matchless grace before my mind. 

I hear her song ; 

It rolls along 
Within the larynx of the wind. 

" Had I the right 

Each blissful night 
To rove with her along this stream, 

O who would be 

More blessed and free, 
Or live in more enchanting dream ? 

' ' Oft when I spy 

A maiden nigh 
Where unexpressive love is found, 

A pang doth make 

My nature quake 
That leaves within my heart a wound. 



42 E 1 D O I. O N . 



''Some few there are 

I see afar 
Inviting me to share their joy. 

I never can, 

A sober man, 
Be pleasured now as when a boy. 

" The beauteous earth 

Was pure in birth 
And now reveals its inner mind. 

Its winning light 

Has marvellous might 
And is with love and truth combined. 



" While Nature plays 

In divers ways 
Peculiar pranks upon her self. 

She has a glance 

In her wild dance 
That springs from every mount and delf. 



"But that great power 
We spy each hour 

In lawless sea and gentle sky 
Has dignity 
We seldoin see 

In lowly beings born to die ! 



EIDOLON. 43 



" In moods like this 

I Nature kiss 
And with her fondle in the eve 

Together we 

On land and sea 
A flowing rapturous poem weave. 

" The merry maid 

For love arrayed 
Comes trippling down the floral wa}' ; 

And whether here, 

Afar or near, 
I see or love her every day. 

"For she is part 

Of that my heart 
Delights itself in all the while ; 

And when we meet 

A tremor sweet 
Is mingled in her loving smile. • 

O ! never fear 

The wondrous lear, 
That glorious Nature doth contain, 

Can make thee pine ! 

Her truth divine 
Instills oft transitory pain 



44 EIDOLON. 

' ' In those who see 

Dark misery 
In all the fairest things around ; 

But thou shouldst find 

What each great mind 
Has ever in her beauty found ! 

" The diverse view 

Down avenue 
Of clinging vine and veteran tree 

Is sweet at morn ; 

For dews adorn 
The tender leaves with purity ! 

" The gorgeous light 
Surmounts the night, 

And carols wander overhead. 
Unnumbered things 
With gauzy wings 

From sleep by golden sun are led. 

" They ever go 
Both to and fro. 

And frolic in the quiet air. 

Both death and birth 
Renew the Earth 

And make its rolling scenery fair. 



EIDOLON. 45 



" He who obeys 
These winning w^a} s 

Of Nature and her laws profound 
Will ever be 
Both wise and free 

And to no evil longings bound. 

" These laws will bring 
A beauteous thing, 

That no pure spirit can resist, 
With perfect grace, 
Whose smiling face 

Will every morn in love be kissed. 

And she as feere 

Will oft appear 
To find in his grand soul her all ; 

And will obey 

Each passing day 
His sweet behest and charming call. 



" Thus life will flow 

Without deep woe 
Unto its destined earthly end ; 

Until a grave 

The land or wave 
To each cold lifeless form will lend. 



46 EIDOLON. 



"But there may still 

Be life to fill 
Another form as passing sweet, 

Whose perfect grace 

And smiling face 
Another noble soul may meet. 

" Thus rouud and round 
With curious sound 

Existence does with love revolve. 
Both here and there 
All things are fair ; 

But few the godly problem solve. 



" Then ask no more, 

If you adore 
These wondrous beauties Earth doth give. 

That I should be 

With maids and thee 
Content in marble home to live.'' 



